Minelab Explorer Classroom Forum

Quoteearthlypotluck
Wow! drink more coffee! Excellent post! lol I do not own an Explorer but have been researching for a possible second detector. I currently own a Sov GT and was intrigued by the topic at hand. Like cintitomcat mentions in his post, the same thing happens with my Sov GT with signals. For me the percentage rate is higher in locating my finds (98%) recovery rate when opening up a hole. That 2% are iffy signals to begin with and can't locate them. Then due to the size of the hole growing ( in trying to locate the item), I stop. (especially in well manicured lawns) Like the Explorer, the Sov GT hates open holes as well. Your experience, use and thoughts on the Sunray probe kind of opened my "eyes" a little wider into thinking I should invest into one. I sometimes wondered if I was burying coins back up ( due to the air problem between the coil and target(s) ) You finding several additional coins with the sunray probe has really got me thinking.....Maybe I have covered coins back up after pulling out the initial object. I most certainly re-scan after pulling the item out but like you mention - once that hole is opened up maybe that detector coil is not close enough to "see" if there are other items in the hole. I think I know what I have to do this Christmas lol - buy myself a pinpointer. Thanks again for posting - Jim aka earthlypotluck

I once got a solid IH signal about 5-6 inches. Dug a plug, found a nice 1887 IH stuck to the bottom of the plug. Checked the hole with my probe and thought I heard a muffled something but with the iron and rotten soil it could have been nothing. So I stood up and check the hole with the big coil, nada, solid threshold. Took a knee to close up the hole but decided to check with the probe one more time, yep there's a muffled something down there. Dug another 4 inch plug deeper and stuck to the bottom of that another 1887 IH and...a seated dime stuck to each other! That shows you how much the Explorer hates an air gap with soil below it. Made an X1 believer out of me. Being an idiot sometimes, others had to tell me about 50 times to buy an X1 before I relented and purchased one, best damn Explorer accessory ever IMO.

it is an invaluable tool when you are in iron infested sites!...AND what the probe sees...YOU see on the screen whether it be cursor flutter/placement or "flashing numbers"

After I get a plug out on an iffy/iron type hit...I then run the probe in the normal detector mode.

If the probe nulls...I walk. If it sings though I will then put it in the pinpoint mode to get the added benefit of all metal ID as well as hone perfectly in on exactly where the target is. I have saved myself from scratching many good silver soins over the years utilizing the X-1.

IMHO the X-1 inline probe is the best invention for metal detecting since the detector itself.

It saves hours of hunt time from chasing deep iron and nails. You can tell instantly whether it's a target worth "chasing" or iron/nails because the probe will null in conductive sounds/iron mask if it's iron.

Started out in 1972 with a Jetco Detector...then the late 70's with a Whites 6000....then in 1981 went to a Bounty Hunter VLF TR 840

Then in the early 1980's I went to a Whites 6000 Di Pro...mid 80's I went to a Whites Eagle II SL...Late 80's/Early 90's I went to the Whites XLT

1990's I used the Fisher CZ5, CZ6, CZ7, 7aPro, and CZ70Pro (still have)...and am currently doing some water hunting with my CZ-21...

Started using Minelabs in 1999
with a brief stint on the Musketeer while also using the CZ's...then in 2002 I switched to the Minelab Explorers and currently use the Explorer SE Pro as my main machine. I also use the Explorer 2 and E-trac often... and have a CTX3030 I use as a backup Might also mention I have an arsenal of coils for the Explorers

"Metal detecting is an escape for me and allows me to find some much needed peace and solace.
Being able to clear my head...even if only for that short while...is much more meaningful than any amount of finds that end up in my pouch" "Quote ME"

Thanks Charles for your success story. You have sold me on the importance of a pinpointer. You didn't write as much as in your other post lol you better get a refill on the coffee. Thanks again for your help - Jim

QuoteCharles (Upstate NY)

Quoteearthlypotluck
Wow! drink more coffee! Excellent post! lol I do not own an Explorer but have been researching for a possible second detector. I currently own a Sov GT and was intrigued by the topic at hand. Like cintitomcat mentions in his post, the same thing happens with my Sov GT with signals. For me the percentage rate is higher in locating my finds (98%) recovery rate when opening up a hole. That 2% are iffy signals to begin with and can't locate them. Then due to the size of the hole growing ( in trying to locate the item), I stop. (especially in well manicured lawns) Like the Explorer, the Sov GT hates open holes as well. Your experience, use and thoughts on the Sunray probe kind of opened my "eyes" a little wider into thinking I should invest into one. I sometimes wondered if I was burying coins back up ( due to the air problem between the coil and target(s) ) You finding several additional coins with the sunray probe has really got me thinking.....Maybe I have covered coins back up after pulling out the initial object. I most certainly re-scan after pulling the item out but like you mention - once that hole is opened up maybe that detector coil is not close enough to "see" if there are other items in the hole. I think I know what I have to do this Christmas lol - buy myself a pinpointer. Thanks again for posting - Jim aka earthlypotluck

I once got a solid IH signal about 5-6 inches. Dug a plug, found a nice 1887 IH stuck to the bottom of the plug. Checked the hole with my probe and thought I heard a muffled something but with the iron and rotten soil it could have been nothing. So I stood up and check the hole with the big coil, nada, solid threshold. Took a knee to close up the hole but decided to check with the probe one more time, yep there's a muffled something down there. Dug another 4 inch plug deeper and stuck to the bottom of that another 1887 IH and...a seated dime stuck to each other! That shows you how much the Explorer hates an air gap with soil below it. Made an X1 believer out of me. Being an idiot sometimes, others had to tell me about 50 times to buy an X1 before I relented and purchased one, best damn Explorer accessory ever IMO.

I didn't read every response, so forgive me if someone already mentioned this.
First, you have to consider that sometimes you have a tiny conductive target. If you dig a deep plug, turn it over and scan it, you may not hear the tiny target that was only 2" from the surface (now 5" down). Assuming it is in the hole you can never find the target.

Second, I have noticed that on real deep coins a lot of times, I will get a tiny null sound on either side of the goody. It is like this with a tiny 6" sweep: null-high tone-null. Not sure why the machine does this. I am thinking that the coin is so close to being out of range that when the signal weakens it is interpreted as iron.

Agreed, Charles, switching to pinpoint mode with the X-1 does help narrow things down, from the regular "search mode" use of the probe. I still don't have the "feel" for it though, yet, that I do with my pro-pointer. Maybe I'm a slow learner!

I am interested, though, in Big Fang's allusion to a "new, smaller (lighter?) X-1." I was unaware there WERE newer, smaller ones available...